Beginners

If you don’t have any prior experience of kayaking (i.e. if you don’t have a ‘Level 2’ qualification or higher) you can attend one of our beginner courses. We will bring you up to a ‘Level 2’ standard, where you can paddle safely in a group. Contact us or keep an eye on our Facebook page for information on any upcoming beginner courses. They usually run in late spring, with a second course possible (depending on demand) in summer.

Beginner sessions:

So you’ve signed up to beginner sessions…. now what?

These will be run usually over 6 weeks, and will assume you have never been in a kayak before. They aim to teach you the basics and get you up to safe standard so you should be able to obtain a level 2 certificate afterwards. They are usually run at Meelick Quay (and possibly Banagher) and sessions last for approx 2 hours each. The cost of the beginner sessions is currently €70 for the 6 week course, including the use of kayaking equipment and assessment for a ‘Level 2’ certificate at the end of the course.

To give you an idea of what happens on our beginner sessions, here are a few videos of some recent ones:

What do I need to bring to sessions?

If you are coming to either beginner sessions or regular club peer sessions, you will need to bring the following:

Towel

Old footwear (wetsuit booties are best)

Wetsuit (if you have one) – if you don’t have a wetsuit, then a warm fleece (polyester) top and shorts are ok – cotton clothes are not suitable

If you have any other kayaking gear, bring it!

What happens once you get your ‘Level 2’ certificate (i.e. after the beginner courses)?

Once you have your Level 2 certificate, you have the option of joining Meelick-Eyrecourt kayak Club. This means that you have the use of club equipment for the year, and can partake in club activities. For more information see the ‘Experienced Paddlers’ page.